… He was running. He ran and ran until he thought his heart would explode along with his burning lungs. The air felt like he was on fire with every breath of oxygen.

The dark, wet, urine-smelling streets offered no shelter. The footsteps of his pursuers were not far behind. They did not blow whistles but shouted back and forth. Its snaps, clinks and clinks of metal, wood and plastic made their distinctive noises as the chase unfolded. “Carry him down the alley, Roger! I’ll cut him off the other end!”

Running and running some more, he didn’t know where he was or where to run next. The dark alley allowed for some cover and protection. A door led an entrance to a stairway of rotten and broken planks. They headed up. Higher and higher, she climbed. The danger that pursued them was already far behind. They couldn’t find it. He was standing on top of the bombed-out building looking down at them. Those who are adorned in blue and black outfits with attached sparkly and glittery ornaments; some were silver and some were gold in color. The gold ones were attached to the belt line of everyday clothing, while the silver or tin ones were attached to the pursuer’s assigned blue chest pockets.

Looking over the edge of the roof, he saw them searching furiously and frantically. They were searching but they were afraid to go in and up the rotten and moldy stairs of the dark and ominous bombed out building. His fear encouraged him to climb those stairs and go out onto the twelve-story roof.

Over the edge, the ledge produced a nest of beige-yellow orbs. The rounded things were big but smaller than a basketball. She handled the eggs with tender care, for they felt warm and inviting to the touch. He felt the need to keep them close, to protect them. He didn’t know why.

Wrapping the three of them tenderly and carefully inside her heavy winter coat, she started down the stairs; heading home Something, someone placed an unexpected and unwanted hand on her left shoulder. Startled, he tried to run for the door that led to the stairs below. The hand morphed into one grip, then another.

The big, strong grip prevented him from getting out; to move; to go home.

“Where are you going with those eggs boy?” said a strange and threatening voice. Without turning to see who was questioning him along with the powerful restraint, he replied, “I’m going home to take care of these babies!”

“You drink?” the voice asked. “Those aren’t babies! It’s our breakfast!”

A power seized him. A power he did not recognize gave him the courage and confidence to challenge would-be usurpers of him.

Before he realized there were four assailants, the sight of them flying backwards and being caught by the asphalt filled every one of his waking visions. They lay bleeding, bent and broken. The fourth was thrown from the roof and lying dead in the dumpster below. The ‘Green Beret’ martial arts training seemed to work on its own in a fatal defense of him and his newly found babies.

The eagles grew over time. They had never flown nor had the feeling or desire to do so. The natural God endowed with strength and beauty subliminally urged them to abandon the sanctity of the backyard hit. They were beautiful and powerful young egrets. Heaven beckoned – freedom beckoned; the wind called loudly.

The other chicken, parrot, finch, pigeon and ‘Tweety’ birds wondered who and what kind of bird the three were. They didn’t know what they were. All they knew was the love, care and respect shared and reciprocated here. They were brothers and sisters. They took care of each other. They protected each other. The little ones could go in and out of small cracks in search of food and unattainable desires for the bigger ones who couldn’t. The dog, the wolf, the fox, and any other threat, enemy, or predator did not dare venture into their peaceful and loving home, at least while their three larger-than-life siblings were around. “They kept us all safe: everything and everyone remained apprehensive or aloof if only because of their opulent stature.”

The three eagles did more or less what the others in the house did. But something told them they were destined for something more.

A large shadow crossed his forehead during the day. They looked up and saw a magnificent sight. “Which view to hold?” shouted one of the three eagle brothers. “What is?” the others asked. “She looks just like us!”

“How can you know?” asked one of the family members. “He’s so high up and so far away I can barely see him!” exclaimed the chicken.

“We can see it clearly, like it’s right next to us!” said one of the sharp-eyed eagle brothers. The man said: “He is of his kind, my children. He like you, is majestic… he is an Eagle!” he said with pride and a wide smile on his face. “You are destined to fly as he does. He, like you, is the ‘King of the Sky – The King of the Birds! I have raised you here to protect you and keep you safe from harm – today is the day I must ride on the clouds and answer the call.”

The man began to undo the sky screen keeping them penned in the patio area with the other birds in the patio. The three brothers began to stretch and flap their eight-foot-long wings. They began to emulate the king bird above.

“Oh this feels great, it feels magnificent, how empowered we feel, it’s just glorious! Bro, we knew we were more than garden birds! Not chicken, parrot, finch, pigeon or Tweety – we knew we were/are eagles ; Kings of heaven!

A loud explosion sounded as the fence along the house wall shattered into toothpicks. Cages and shocks collapsed, allowing sick and injured birds to shudder, cry, howl, scream and scream in pain, agony and panic. Guardians and soldiers charged, bumped and stomped everywhere, in the name of search, seizure, rescue, arrest and destruction.

“We know you have a pot farm here! You’re a baba drug dealer! We know you robbed the neighborhood Micky-D’s, gas station, donut shack, grocery store and ‘Driving While Black!’ You have killed a man and attacked his friends!

They punched, kicked and pushed the man who tried to turn the other cheek. He couldn’t.

The eagles rushed to defend. The Game Wardens and Troopers were severely attacked by the ‘larger than life’ avenging birds. The first eagle flapped its huge wings and created a funnel of wind with the power of an “F-3” tornado. Blowing up several of the marauders, throwing them back and into the street. The second eagle grabbed two intruders, one in each talon; and with little or no effort, it flapped its mighty wings and flew above the surrounding buildings and houses. The captive prey screamed at the top of its lungs as if flipped over and frightened by the tallest and most powerful roller coaster of monsters on the planet. Flying high and fast, the mighty bird swooped down and, like a bomber, dropped the two grown men into the city’s rainwater reservoir four and a half miles away on 33rd Street. The third eagle stood with its eight and a half foot wingspan extended. The increased posture greatly intimidated the remaining marauders. They reached for Nets, Tasers, Guns, Batons and other available assault weapons.

The eagle flashed its great bright and sharp eyes. The fear of God overcame them. Two of them notably soiled the front of their pants while they were frozen in fear. The others, in their fear and hatred, continued their attempted rampage.

The man sprang into action. Three prowlers were kicked backwards in the street, while another with a gun drawn was flipped over the man’s right shoulder and slammed to the concrete floor. The sound of broken pottery and human bones filled the immediate air. The other happy and healthy garden birds joined the melee in defense of their precious and beloved abode. They all managed to push the intruders back and out into the street near their vehicles.

The media discovered, reported and filmed the warrantless assault on the man and his friends. All charges were shown to be baseless and the charges to be unfounded. The unreasonable attack and accusation was concocted and engineered by an evil corrupt member of the force who was exposed for abusive tactics and harassment on multiple occasions for his indiscretions and blatant disregard for police protocols in his personal vendetta and terrorist practices against those whom he he considered and believes to be undesirable and below him. The truncated reports of him have caused an undue rift between the responsible authoritarian community and the community at large. The surreptitious act was corrected with resistance to injustice and bitter resentment.

The eagles, who were raised on chickens, flew in Mighty Wings of Truth and Justice with Glorious Pride alongside his partner Sky-King: The Man was Free and Run Away No More.

Until next time…

‘SANKOFA’